Gas scrubber



March24, 1931.- A. G. MCKEE 157971271:

I @As scRUBBER Fired Deo. 21, leas- 2 sheets-snoep Patented Mar. '24a 1931 'UNITI-:nP STATES PATENT OFFICE Altmann b. Mexm, oF CLEVELAND, omo

' Gas scnUBBEn A pplication led December This invention relates to gas scrubbers and is more particularly concerned with gas scrubpbcrs/ of the type in` which the gases to be cleaned and cooled are passed throughhquid in spray form.l

The invention also relates to a gas scrubber l provided with' means, for preventing the treated gases from carrying liquids out of the scrubber.L It also relates'to a new and improved apparatus -for efficiently cooling gases after the cleaning operation. It further relates toapparatus for removing solid materials still retained by the heated vgases-.after the treatment of the gases with the l1qu1d L Spmyf t l I have discovered that when gases are treated in scrubbers ofthe type infwhich the gases pass through one or more"liquid sprays and particularly scrubbers of the type illustrated in my 'copending (application, Serial No. 40,748, filed July 1st, 1925, which matured y into Patent No. 1,7 48,723 on Feb. 25, 1930, the.

gases tend to pick up\and entrain a considerable amount of liquid in finely divided form and hence pass from the scrubbenwith an unnecessarily high f moisture content.J By my present inventionI have provided means by which this high moisture content may be considerably reduced.

In scrubbers of the type above described I have also discovered that the final cooling of the gases, after the solid material has been removed therefrom by liquid spray, may be efiiciently affected and the temperature redugced .35 to merely that of the cooling liquid if only fresh, cooled liquid is used as the final cooling medium. Accordingly, my present invention also includes means ,fdr forming a liquid spray composed of fresh, cool liquid as a final cooling spray through which the gases pass just prior to leaving the scrubber. i I have also discovered that even though gases have been treatedrwith a plurality of 45, liquid sprays, some solids are often retained by the 4gases unless mechanical means are employed for .removing such substances. Accordingly, I have providedV mechanical means interposed in the pathway of the outgoing gases whichare adapted to remove 21, mais. serial, No. 76,630.

solids from the treated gases and return thesame to the lower parts of the scrubber.

In the drawings accompanying and forminga part of this application:

F ig. 1 is a central, vertical section through 5,5 -a scrubber embodying my invention, parts lof the scrubber being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the topi portion of the scrubber shown in Fig. 1; an t i Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on` line 3-3` of Fig. 1, certain parts Mhaving been broken away. 'v

One form of scrubber involving my. invention is `disclosed in the figures, in which 65 is shown an upright tower or casing 1,which may be .constructed of sheet metal parts suitably .welded or otherwise secured together. A gas inlet 2 Iis provided near the bottom of the tower or casing 1, through which blast furnace gases, or other gases/carrying solid material may ,enter the casing.v The top of the tower 1 is provided with a gas outlet kopening 3. The interior construction of the scrubber is, in most respects, substantially the same as that shown in myabove mentioned' application. lItmay briefly be describedas follows Within the casing or tower 1 is provided a plurality of gas-treating compartments'each comprising a liquid holding receptacle or pan 4, a-pump 5 of conical or other design positioned to dipinto the water in the pan 4 and adapted'to elevate and contact with the side walls of the casing 1;

and a ledge 6 extending from the casing terials are, removed from the gases .by

a the liquid spray and are gradually carried to the lower portion of the scrubber where .they may be removed when'A and as desired, the means for removing this solid material not being shown in the present application.

spray the water outwardly toward or into 8f the tower 1 adjacent to the ledge 6 of the gas-treating compartment next therebelow. It will be understood-that when the level of the water in the pan 4 rises above the top of the central opening in. the casting ,8 it will overfiow thereinto and then pass out through pipes 9. f

The scrubber 1 is provided with a plurality of work passages 10 extending inwardlyfron one side to beyond the center,

y and preferably entirely `through the scrubber, as shown in Fig. 1. In each work passage is disposed a motor 11 or other' pumpactuating means connected to the adjacent pump 5 by a suitable shaft 12 and gearing (not shown) disposed within' the housing 13 which housing serves 'to suspend the pump 5 within the gas-treating chamber below the passage. With the exception of the topmost y and bottommost pans 4, the several pans and gas-treating compartments in the scrubber or Vtower 1 are alike in'substantially all respects. The. lowermost pan is preferably not provided with the member 8 and pipes 9 While the uppermost pan is neither provided with an overflow member such as 8 nor with aledge corresponding to ledges. 6 to return sprayed liquid to the pan'4.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the topmost pan 4 is shown as being connected directly to a liquid inlet tube 14 which supplies fresh, cool liquid to the pan. The pump 5 when rotated will elevate liquid from the pan 4 and spray it, outwardly toward the side walls of the scrubber or tower l usually in a curved path. A ledge 15 carriedb the side walls'of the tower 1 and supl orte by any suitable means, for example rackets 16, corresponds in general size to the ledges 6, but, in contrast therewith, is rinclined downwardly and outwardly so that liquid The pumps 5 are of such construction and are operated at such speed that the liquid sprayed outwardly-therefrom strikes the side walls of the tower 1. The sprayed liquid which is in fairly large globules prior to striking against the wall of the tower 1 is to some extent broken up by such impact, into fine particles of a size to form a line mist. While formation of this mistmay bedesirable in the lower parts of the tower, it is particularly desirable that its formation be avoided in the topmost spraying stage zone or gas-treating compartment of the scrubber, since otherwise the outgoing gases will carry with them an undue and undesirable amount of moisture. Accordingly, I have provided means associated .with the vtopmost spray-producing means for decreasing the amount of mist formeddand for preventing such finely divided liquid or mist as is formed therein from being carried away by the outgoing gases. This means may, of course, assume different forms but, as shown herein, it comprises one or more plates 17 preferably shaped like truncated hollow cones with the larger end downward, disposed preferably at an acute angle to and in the trajectory of the liquid spray from the pump 5 and between the pan 4 and the 'side walls. of the scrubber or casing 1 by which walls they may be carried. Each of the plates 17 is preferably spaced a small distance from or ismaintained out of substantially continuous contact with the side wall so as to permit liquid owing downwardly on the plates to continue on down along the side wall without obstruction. The plates 17 niay obviously extend for various distances inwardly from the side wall 1, but I have found that satisfactory results have been obtained in a scrubber of about `eighteen ,feet in diameter when the plates'17 are about a foot or less in width along the diameter of the scrubber. The liquid sprayed by t-he pump 5 may, and presumably does in large part, strike the lower surfaces of plates 17 at an acute angle and flows toward the casing 1fin large globules or small streams. Plates 17 are preferably so spaced and disposed at such an angle that none oibut very little of the.

spra impinges directly on the shell 1 without rst hitting one of the plates 17 and thus preventsthe spray breaking up into finely falling on the top, thereof will be directed por kdivided, or mist-like particles. The plates 17 ward the side-walls Aof the tower 1 and will flow 'downwardly into the next lower pan and i not be returned to the topmost pan 4. By

Y means of this ledge 15 the fresh, cool liquid coming into pan 4 is sprayed outwardly only i 4once bythe topmostpump 5 and hence exerts e maximuicooling eifect on the gases since 1t temperatureislower than would be the fthi,s'- liquidawere returned to the topan? 4: through the heated gases. or the thus prevent theformation of large quanti'- ties of mist and as the spray entrains and carries with it practically all of the mist from the gases rising from the lower chamber the tained by the ascending gases,= and carried before passing between the channels. The solids carried by the gases will impinge upon the surfaces of the channels, when the gases change direction suddenly in passing in their tortuous paths between the channels;A

` by Letters Patent is described in what is above all of the liquid. screens, such solids have heretofore been for the most part carried out of the scrubber with the outgoing gases. I have, however, provided mechanical means for removing a large part'of the last remaining solids from the outgoing gases, this means being so constructed as to cause reversals of the direction of flow of the outgoing gases.' As illustrated herein this means consists of` a plurality of channel-shaped plates or channels 19 suspended from the top of the scrubber and extending downto about or below the top of the top work passage 10. These plates or channels 19 are preferably spaced apart and arrangedl in staggered relation and in two or three rows so that the gases come first intc contact with the inner side of the channel and then must reverse their direction.

On account of the adhering liquid, the solids and liquids remain on the surfaces of the channels 19 and flow down along them to .the lower parts oft-he scrubbers where they unite with the largevolume of liquid with which theyultimately pass out of the scrubber. l Having thus described' my invention s o that those skilled in the art may be enabled to practice the same, what I desire to secure claimed, it being understoodthat various changes not amounting toinvntion may be made in the details of cons ruction herein shownand described without departing from.

the spirit of my invention.

What is claimed is: if 1.v A gas scrubber comprising a casing through which .gases may freely pass in a vertically upwardf direction, means for forming zones of liqiiiil sprayacross the path of gases through the casing, and ymeans in the last said zone through which the gases travel before-leaving'the -casings for preventing the formation of mist bythe sharp impact of the spray on any. surface. y

.2. A gas scrubber Acomprising a casing through which gases may flow, means for spraying liquid toward the walls of the casing and across the path of flow of gases within thevcasing, and downwardly and out'- wardly inclined mist formation-preventing means disposed in the path of the sprayed liquid and adjacent to the walls of the 'casing for directing liquid to the walls of the casing without sharp impact on any surface.

3.. A gas scrubber comprising'a casing,

' through which gases may flow, a liquid holding receptacle in the casing, means for spraying liquid from the receptacle toward the walls l,of the casing and stationarydownwardly and -outwardly inclined, mist formation preventing means interposed between toward the side walls of the casing, and a downwardly and outwardly inclined wall adjacent to the side walls of the casing in and extending to above the path of the sprayed liquid for deficcting sprayed liquid to the sides' of the casing without substantial mist formation after the spray has traversed the major portion of the path of ga's flow.4

5. In a gas scrubber, in combination, acasing through which gases may flow, means within thecasing for maintaining a liquid spray across the path of gases passing through the casing, said casing being substantially unobstructed to vertical flow of gas above said spra maintaining means, and means for gently deflecting the spray downward to the casing without sharp impact after the sprayed liquid has traversed the major portion of the path ofl thegases.

g 6. In a gas scrubber, in'combination, a casing through which gases may flow, means within the casing for maintaining a liquid spray across Athe path of 'gases passing through the casing, and means for directing the spray to the casing without sharp impact on any surface.

7 A gas scrubber comprising a casing through' which gases may pass, means for forming zones of liquid spray across the path of gases in the casing, and a plurality of outwardly and downwardly inclined plates in the last .said zone through which the gases pass before leaving the casing for directingthe spray to` and down the side walls of the casing without sharp impact and in a manner to prevent the formation of mist after the spray has passed through the major portion ofthe gas. v y Y L 8. A gas scrubber comprising a casinghavring aplurality of vertically arranged gas mg upwardly and.` inwardly from and adjath-e liquid sprayed" in sadg-topmostchamber ce'nt tothe side walls ofthe topmost of said vertically arranged chambersforgdirecting down to the next gas treatingvchamber therebeneath.

9. In a gas scrubber in combination, a. casing through which gases may iow, means for forming a plurality of vertically spaced apart sprays of liquid across the path of flow o gases in the casing, and means for directing the topmost spray of liquid to and down the side Walls of the casing, after said topmost spray has crossed the major partV of the path of gas flow, Without abrupt change in direction or sharp impact.

l0. A gas Washer comprising a casing through which gases may, pass, means for forming zones of liquid spray across the path of gases through the oas'ingfand m'eansy in the last said z'one through Wich the gases travel before leaving the Washe for preventing the formation of mist by the impact of the spray on the casing, the last said means comprising a Wall disposed in, and downwardly and outwardly inclined at an acute angle to, the path of the liquid `spray and adjacent to but disposed out of continuous conta-ct with the casing. i ig In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my signature this 18th day of December, l925.

ARTHUR G. MCKEE.

inevfa'n 

